Internet Safety for Teachers, Parents, and Students
This video, Think U Know Think Again, is taken from YouTube and depicts a situation that many teens face.
Please view to see what can happen to some children or teens.
"48 percent of K-1st reported viewing online content that made them feel uncomfortable, of which 72 percent reported the experience to a grownup, meaning that one in four children did not. (Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008)"
The same site lists Internet Safety Guidelines called Rules and Tools .
OnGuard Online - everything from safety tips to games to videos and more!
Test your knowledge on finding online friends safely.
Parents should always monitor children’s email, chat room conversations, and the websites they visit. Consider investing in software that can monitor children’s web surfing and block objectionable words, images, and/or sites. Encourage use of “kid-friendly” search engines.
Children should never give out identifying information, such as name, address, phone number, school, etc over the internet.
Younger children will be tempted to “sign-up” to join clubs. Many of these sites are legitimate and can be educational and/or entertaining, but will likely ask for personal information. Children should only join clubs, list servs, etc with parental approval and oversight.
Do not open emails from unknown senders; delete them immediately. Such emails may be spam. Even worse, they could be “viruses” which can be very harmful to your computer.
Children should share their passwords with parents, but NO ONE else.
Older kids will be interested in chat rooms, message board, and networking/personal blogging sites (i.e. myspace, bebo, xanga, etc). If you allow your children to utilize these sites, they should keep their profiles “private,” only approve “friends” and/or chat with people they know in the real world, and be extremely careful with the kind of information they post. Children need to understand that seemingly harmless information can often be dangerous when in the wrong hands. In addition to the above listed identifying information, children should not post information about where they are, where they are going, when they are at certain places, etc. Be careful of posting information to “friend’s” sites as well. Parents should routinely review their children’s sites and their children’s “friend’s” sites to ensure information of this type is not inadvertently posted.
Affinity Health Seminars - There are also programs and seminars in our area for parents to increase their internet knowledge and how to keep their child safe. Affinity Health just hosted a FREE seminar at the PAC that was focused on internet safety tips for parents.
The PG key - Parents can use special hardware to limit their child's internet sites and track websites.
The PG key is a USB plug in that can limit time, control websites, and track websites and use. There is even a 30 day FREE trial.
Net Nanny - Parents can download special software that blocks explicit images that children may be exposed to.
For example, blocks pornography and explicit websites.
It also alerts parents to emails or instant messages that contain inappropriate material. These alerts and reports can even be sent to a cell phone.
Kids' Internet Safety Alliance - A group that has various resources, including videos for parents to help with awareness of internet safety issues.
Yahoo - Yahoo has a site dedicated to parents to help with internet safety.
Bad Guy Patrol- An online game for kids of varying ages to learn about internet safety. There are also suggestions for parents on internet safety tips for children at various age levels.
Tips for kids under 7:
Sit with your kids when they are playing games or doing homework online.
Limit your kids to websites that are on their list of favorites or "bookmarked" sites. That way you know exactly what they are doing.
Find kid-friendly search engines with parental controls.
Put your computer in a high traffic family room so you can see what your kids are doing.
Talk to your kids about privacy. Remind them not to give out names, addresses, phone numbers etc.
Help your children come up with a username or pretend name if they are on a site that offers personalization.
Don't allow your child to use instant messaging, e-mail, or chat rooms at this age.
Create an Internet contract or agreement for you and your children to sign. Here's an example. Family contracts
Tips for kids 8 - 10:
Make family Internet rules with input from your kids.
Learn the chat room and IM language your kids use so you know what they are talking about. www.netlingo.com
Use kid-friendly search engines with parental controls. Create a family e-mail account so that you can see who they are emailing.
Encourage your kids to come to you before they sign up for chat rooms, message boards, registration forms, personal profiles and online contests.
Encourage them to block messages and conversations from people they don't know.
Don't allow them to instant messaging at this age.
Let them use monitored chat rooms and message boards on reputable kids' sites only and with your permission.
Talk to your kids about new online friends that they are meeting and new sites they are visiting.
Encourage your kids to come to you if they have a bad experience. Just make sure you are open and non-judgmental.
bNetSavvy - A tool for adults to help kids connect safely. It includes links to articles of varying online topics such as: Social Networking, Wireless Devices, Gaming, Cyberbullying, Safety, Privacy
Internet Safety for Teachers, Parents, and Students
This video, Think U Know Think Again, is taken from YouTube and depicts a situation that many teens face.
Please view to see what can happen to some children or teens.
General Resources
Resources for Teachers
Resources for Parents
Resources for Students
- Internet Safety Statistics - dealing with pornography and sexual predators
- "48 percent of K-1st reported viewing online content that made them feel uncomfortable, of which 72 percent reported the experience to a grownup, meaning that one in four children did not. (Rochester Institute of Technology, 2008)"
- The same site lists Internet Safety Guidelines called Rules and Tools .
- OnGuard Online - everything from safety tips to games to videos and more!
- Test your knowledge on finding online friends safely.
Back to topUse information, media, and technology in a responsible manner...
identify the school's rules on student use of the Internet and other resources
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- www.MyChildSafety.org - some basic safety tips for parents:
- Parents should always monitor children’s email, chat room conversations, and the websites they visit. Consider investing in software that can monitor children’s web surfing and block objectionable words, images, and/or sites. Encourage use of “kid-friendly” search engines.
- Children should never give out identifying information, such as name, address, phone number, school, etc over the internet.
- Younger children will be tempted to “sign-up” to join clubs. Many of these sites are legitimate and can be educational and/or entertaining, but will likely ask for personal information. Children should only join clubs, list servs, etc with parental approval and oversight.
- Do not open emails from unknown senders; delete them immediately. Such emails may be spam. Even worse, they could be “viruses” which can be very harmful to your computer.
- Children should share their passwords with parents, but NO ONE else.
- Older kids will be interested in chat rooms, message board, and networking/personal blogging sites (i.e. myspace, bebo, xanga, etc). If you allow your children to utilize these sites, they should keep their profiles “private,” only approve “friends” and/or chat with people they know in the real world, and be extremely careful with the kind of information they post. Children need to understand that seemingly harmless information can often be dangerous when in the wrong hands. In addition to the above listed identifying information, children should not post information about where they are, where they are going, when they are at certain places, etc. Be careful of posting information to “friend’s” sites as well. Parents should routinely review their children’s sites and their children’s “friend’s” sites to ensure information of this type is not inadvertently posted.
- Affinity Health Seminars - There are also programs and seminars in our area for parents to increase their internet knowledge and how to keep their child safe. Affinity Health just hosted a FREE seminar at the PAC that was focused on internet safety tips for parents.
- The PG key - Parents can use special hardware to limit their child's internet sites and track websites.
- The PG key is a USB plug in that can limit time, control websites, and track websites and use. There is even a 30 day FREE trial.
- Net Nanny - Parents can download special software that blocks explicit images that children may be exposed to.
- For example, blocks pornography and explicit websites.
- It also alerts parents to emails or instant messages that contain inappropriate material. These alerts and reports can even be sent to a cell phone.
- Kids' Internet Safety Alliance - A group that has various resources, including videos for parents to help with awareness of internet safety issues.
- Yahoo - Yahoo has a site dedicated to parents to help with internet safety.
- Bad Guy Patrol- An online game for kids of varying ages to learn about internet safety. There are also suggestions for parents on internet safety tips for children at various age levels.
- Tips for kids under 7:
- Sit with your kids when they are playing games or doing homework online.
- Limit your kids to websites that are on their list of favorites or "bookmarked" sites. That way you know exactly what they are doing.
- Find kid-friendly search engines with parental controls.
- Put your computer in a high traffic family room so you can see what your kids are doing.
- Talk to your kids about privacy. Remind them not to give out names, addresses, phone numbers etc.
- Help your children come up with a username or pretend name if they are on a site that offers personalization.
- Don't allow your child to use instant messaging, e-mail, or chat rooms at this age.
- Create an Internet contract or agreement for you and your children to sign. Here's an example. Family contracts
- Tips for kids 8 - 10:
- Make family Internet rules with input from your kids.
- Learn the chat room and IM language your kids use so you know what they are talking about. www.netlingo.com
- Use kid-friendly search engines with parental controls. Create a family e-mail account so that you can see who they are emailing.
- Encourage your kids to come to you before they sign up for chat rooms, message boards, registration forms, personal profiles and online contests.
- Encourage them to block messages and conversations from people they don't know.
- Don't allow them to instant messaging at this age.
- Let them use monitored chat rooms and message boards on reputable kids' sites only and with your permission.
- Talk to your kids about new online friends that they are meeting and new sites they are visiting.
- Encourage your kids to come to you if they have a bad experience. Just make sure you are open and non-judgmental.
- bNetSavvy - A tool for adults to help kids connect safely. It includes links to articles of varying online topics such as: Social Networking, Wireless Devices, Gaming, Cyberbullying, Safety, Privacy
Back to top- Internet Safety Game - interactive game appropriate for elementary students to learn about internet safety.
- Provided by AT&T. The students even receive a certificate of achievement after completion of game.
- NetSmart Kids - another interactive game/website for students to learn about internet safety.
- This site has more than one game/activity for students to do. It teaches them to have "NetSmarts" and not just "StreetSmarts or BookSmarts".
- Safe Kids Quiz - safety quiz for students
- Web License Quiz - Here is an internet quiz for students to take to get their "web license".
- Not only does it test student knowledge on internet safety, but it tests their knowledge on overall internet use.
- McGruff - An online resource for students, parents, and teachers with a variety of information on staying safe.
- The Advise section of the website has a portion devoted to internet safety.
- Bad Guy Patrol- An online game for kids of varying ages to learn about internet safety.
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